Chapter 7

Computer Networks and Cloud Computing

computer networks connect computers together for the purpose of sharing personal communiction, hardware, software resources and info

set of independent computer systems interconnected by telecommunication links for the purpose of sharing info and resources

nodes/hosts - individual computers on a network wich can range from the size of smartphones, tiny computers to massive supercomputers

communication link

used to build a network very widely in physical characteristics, error rate, and transmission speed


moderm - a device that restructures binary signals into analog representations by modulating or altering a standard analog signal called a "carrier wave" so it encodes binary info

Local Area Networks (LAN)

conencts hardware devices such as computers, printers, and storage devices that are all in relative close proximity

repeater - device that amplifies and forwards signals

bridge - a smarter device that has knowledge about the nodes located on each seperate network

Wide Area Networks (WAN)

connects devices that are not in closer proximity

paclet - an info block w/ fixed size that is transmitted through the network as a single unit

long messages sent through WAN are separated into separate packages and are reassembled after all packets are collected

Structure of the internet

internet is made of a mix between LAN, WAN, and MAN networks

router - device that transmits message between two distinct networks

Internet Service Provider (ISP) - a business that provides access from a private network to the Internet or from a private network

Communication Protocal

protocol - mutually agreed-upon set of rules, conventions, and agreements for the efficient and orderly exchange of info

protocol hierarchy/protocol stack - 5 layers

physical, data link, network, transport, and application

Physical Layer

goerns the exchange of binary digits across a physical communication channel such as a fiber optic cable, copper wire, or wireless radio channel

creates a 'bit pipe' between tow computers such that the bits entered in the pipe at one end can be read and understood by the computer located at the other end

Data Link layer

detects errors (from interference, weather, or other factors) and corrects them

framing - identifying the start and end of a message

two sublayers

Medium Access Control protocals -determins how to arbitrate owbnership of a shared communication line when multiple nodes want to send messages at the same time

Logical Link Control protocols - solves the error detection and correction problem and ensures messages arrive at destination

Medium Access Control protocols - determines how to arbitrate the ownership of a shared communication channel when muyltiple nodes want to send messages at the same time

centralized - master control node is responsible for which node gets ownership of a line any moment

problem is that it would make the arbitration of the communication channel very slow as all nodes would have to repeatedly communicate with the master node

contention - based on nodes sending/transmitting info as soon as line becomes idle

problem is that as soon as the line becomes idle, multiple nodes may transmit their data resulting in repeated collisions

problem is solved as nodes nowadays transmit their data at irregular intervals, decreasing the chance of data collisions

Network Layer

ensures delivery of a message to is ultimate destination

IP/Internet Procotol

Domain Name System (DNS) - converts host names to IP Adresses

Transport Layer

sends message to programs within a computer

port number - second level of address that identifies a specific machine on a network and a program munning on it

Transport Control Protocol (TCP)

transfers messages between two programs on different computers

Application Layer

protocols for implementing the end-user services provided by a network

interface between the IoT device and the network with which it will communicate

webpages are identified by "URL" or Uniform Resonance Locator

Hyptertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) - acceses the hyptertext or procotl which the accessing computer what typ[e of info is on a web page


Schneider, G. Michael, and Judith L. Gersting. Invitation to Computer Science. Cengage Learning, 2019